Furnace for refining iron



2 Sheets-Sheet l.

(No Model.)

CT.I B. WIIESTLNG. FRNAGE POR REPINING IRON.

Patented Mar..22

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. B.- WIESTLING. URNAGEPOR REFINING IRON.

No. 359,700. Y Patented Mar. 22, 1.887

UNITED 1 STATESf kPATENT OFFICE..

GEORGE B. VVIESTLING, OF MONT ALTO, PENNSYLVANIA.

FURNAOE FOR REFINING IRON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 359,700, dated March22, 1887.

Appncnuon eied'inay 19, 1885. semi No. 166,031. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it 11m/,y concern.- Be it known that I, GEORGE B WrEsTLING,a citizen of the United States, residing at Mont Alto, in the county ofFranklin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Furnaces for Rening Iron, of which the following is aspecication, reference being had therein to the accompanyingdrawings. Myinvention relates to that kind of furnace generally known as aknobbling-re. fo1ge-re, or bloom-furnacebut more properly it is aLancashire hearth or charcoal blomary furnace orforge-fire,in which pig-iron, run-out metal, or wrought scrapiron is melted with charcoal fuelurged by eithera hot or cold blast of air by which the metal isoxidized, decarbonized, sank, and refined by the action of the blast;and my improvement upon the furnace consists in a different constructionof some of its parts and the addition of other parts, wherebya greatsaving of labor, metal, time, and a more uniform quality of iron is theresult of such change, as will be fully hereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figure l represents a side View ofthe furnace. Fig. 2represents an upright sectional View of same. Fig. 3 represents anupright transverse views, partly in section, on line xx of Fig.' 2,.andFig. 4 represents a horizontal view, partly in section, on line y y ofFig. 2. A represents the usual bed-plate having the water sink or wella, which is supplied with water from a pipe or trough, ce', throughapertures a and the waste water to pass off at a, as seen in Fig. 3.Upon the bed-plate A is built the side walls, A', and front wall, A, of

wall, and other openings necessary and usualA in this kind of furnacefor charging the hearth with charcoal and'for working or manipulatingthe lump of fused or plastic metal onthe charcoal, and for otherpurposes necessary to this kind of hearth. These openings may be closedby proper gates, if necessary, and the ygates have openings throughwhich the bar l for lifting the mass can be operated, or bucky ment.

. Crepresents an arched roof over the fur nace extending from front torear and to the iue 7o or stack, 'andC is an outer arched plate overroof C, leaving a space or chamber Cfbetween the two plates or yroofs Cand G. These two arched roofs are formed from curved metallic plates,orof two flat or corrugated plates hav-y ing the blast-chamber C betweenthem ,which is closedair-tightat both its ends.

. D is the pipe through which the forced blast of air is blown intochamber' C direct; or the blast may be.divided,so that aportion will beforced-to pass through a branch pipe, D', to be delivered into thefrontpart of chamber C" by turning the cut-off valve d in pipe D and valve din branch pipe D', or the whole blast can be forced through branch pipeD into the chamber C", when required, by closing Valve d and openingvalve d.

E E are bent pipes on opposite sides of the furnace, with their upperYends bent, and pass through the outer arched plate, C', of the roof 9oto connect with chamber C, toward the rear end thereof, bending downwardthe proper" distance, then turn horizontally toward ea other, and at ashort distance apart termina in tuyeres E', that enter the furnacethrough a removable plate, F, in the rear or back wall of the furnace,in apertures f f in plate F and opposite the plastic metal.

E E are bent pipes on opposite sides of the furnace, with their upperends bent, and pass through the outer arched plate, C", ofthe roof,bending downward the same distance as do IOO pipes E, then bend towardeach other, terminating intuyeresE, which enter the furnace throughapertures f f in the removable tuyereplates F', on opposite sides ofthefurnace,which glves a blast of air on opposite sides and toward thefront of the furnace, to force air directly upon opposite sides of theplastic metal. This description of the construction of the furnace showsthe blast of forced air -applied upon three sides or directions toimpinge against and act upon the fused or plastic metal in threedirections; but without departing from the principle of my inventionblasts of air can be made to act upon the iron on the fourth, or anynumber of sides that the furnace may have.

In order to clear the outside of the nozzles of the two rear tuyeres,E', of adhering cinders or clinkers, -holes f are made in the removabletuyere-plates Il" in line with the nozzles, through which holes animplement is forced that will remove such cinders or clinkers or otherobstructions to their complete action and efficiency.

The two side tuyeres are kept clear from cinders by passing theimplement through a front opening in the furnace.

In order to clear the inside of the tuyeres and prevent cinders fromobstructing a full blast through them, I construct a device by which adirect communication through the inside bore of the tuyeres is had, andwith a rod of iron of proper size all cinders or obstructions in thetuyeres will be forced out of the bore of the tuyeres into the fire.'This device is constructed as follows: A metal loop, e, is placedaroundv the angle-union e and secured inlposition, with a lever, e,pivoted theretoitfrise and turn up out of the way. Lever e" hasfaweight, e', at its outer end. A lug, 1, depends from the under edge thelever, having a stopper, 2, pivoted at 3 to lug 1, the stopper having aconvex inner end to t into the countersink in the outer end of the borein tube 4, that is screwed into the angle-union e. This constructiongives a straight opening from theoutside through tube 4 and the tuyere,so that a bar ofiron of the proper size will pass through the tube andtuyere and will force all obstructions out of the inside of the tuyereinto the furnace. Tube 4 being countersunk at the outer end of its boreand the stopper 2 convex onk its inner end will always insure a tightjoint, even when the bore in the tube is worn to be irregular in itsshape by the use of the cinder bar or poker, and when the eight e issufficient to overbalance the press- \of theair-blast in theblast-tubesand maint-ain\anairtight `joint while in that position. By having thestopper pivoted to the lug 1 it becomes self-adjusting to thecountersink in the tube without further attention from the ever e" lisdown ina horizontal position the lated by a proper bar or implement.v Ithas the proper rabbets at 'each end to admit it to enter the openinginthe front wall of the furnace a proper distance.

g g are upwardly-rising flanges, one at each end of the plate.

g g' are notches in the front edge of the table to receive a projectingpart of a supportingbracket.

H H are metal removable brackets for thev support of the fore-plateG-one at each endand having at their rear edges a dovetail enlargement,h, and at their upper forwardcorners projections h h', to lit intonotches g in the fore-plate.

I I are projecting lugs attached to the front of the furnace in pairs toreceive thedovetails h on the rear edges of the brackets and securelyhold them to the front, and I I are pairs of steady-blocks, betweenwhich the forward edges of the brackets are held in place upon thebed-plate A. This construction of the fore-plate and its supports givesa cheap and strong table to work over, and a table that can be quicklyand easily removed from the furnace-front when necessary. ,f

In order to distinguish the difference between what is described as myimprovement and furnaces or hearths in common use, it is proper to statethat the Lancashire hearth and 'others have substantially the samebed-plate applied, and working-tables used, over whichv the ball ofmetal-is manipulated in its treatment, that the metal to be opera-tedupon is placed upon an inclined shelf, B, and the heat and blastgenerated and applied in the usual way. The metal is heated on theshelf, is brought down, and as it is fused drops through the charcoal incontact with the blast of air fromthe tuyeres, when it will becomepartially oxidized. By the action of the oxide of iron thus formed andof the basic silicate of protoxide of iron remaining in the hearth themetal is decarbonized to a certain extent, and in consequence becomesless fusible and more pasty, and after complete fusion the refining ofthe metal commences, which consists in incessantly breaking up the lumpof metal by a bar of iron and carrying the metal toward the tuyeres, the

raw portions of which, being more highly car- IIC ISO

quality, after which all the metal is'brought to the top of the hearth,and is again. melted down with a lively heat,'t`o be formed into a ballor lump, when fresh charcoal is ythrown into the hearth, the heat andblast on the unmelte'd portions being kept up at intervals with the ironbar to prevent their adhering to the lump before being melted. The lumpis thentaken out to be hammered into aprismatic shape or bloom.

- The principles upon which this method of refining iron and its chiefadvantage are that the rawer portions of the metal melt down in drops,or liqnate, and so become separate from that already fully refined bythe blast; and in so liquating it becomes exposed to the oxidizingaction of the blast, and is more or less decarbonized, the fully refinedmetal remaining aloft all the while. The mass or lump of metal beingthus properly, thoroughly, and equally refined, and in the final runningdown in a coherent lump the slag separates from the refined iron, and ifpresent in an injuriousdehearth or my furnace for refining iron, and

given the description andthe operation ofthe Lancashire hearth,77 andmodifications in ordinary use, and with all these described processesthe action of the blast and its effects upon the fused metal is, withthe manipulation of the metal, the refining agent, and if from lack ofskill or faithfulness, or for any.

cause the wprkman fails to bring all the metal over and above thetuyeres, so as to receive the proper action of the blast upon the metal,then the lump is not equally refined, but it is raw or unreljned iron,and such will be found in the lump. Even with the most expertmanipulation and care there .is a difference in the quality of the yironin the lump; that on the side next the tuyere, where but one tuyere isused, is always the best, or better than that on the opposite side,which becomes manifest when the lump is under the hammer, where theunrefined iron falls from the lump as hammer-scales and lessens theyield of metal.

Iam aware that an improvement upon the one-tuyere blast has been madeandzis in use where two tuyeres are used to give the blast upon oppositesides of the hearth or fire, and

that such hearth or fire has two opposite openings and tables orfore-plates, always necessitating two workmen to manipulate the met-albefore the blast at the Sametime and from opposite sides of the fire.Such improvement air under pressure, either hot or cold, can beintroduced through tuyeres on three or more, sides of the 1ire,andhaving but one fore-plate, G, for a single workman, the advantages ofwhich are manifold, both in fuel and labor, asn

unrcned iron to a minimum, as every particle treated is more surely andeasily brought into contact with the action of the blast,when such blastis applied upon three or all of its sides,-than when but one or twosides are so acted upon by the blast; hence the whole mass is moreuniformly acted upon and refined.

Second. Theprocessisexpedited. The output of refined iron from the samesized hearth in the sametimeis aboutthirty-seven per cent. greater thanwhen Vthe blast is given on one side, and also greater than when blastsare given on two sides with two or more workmen manipulating the lump atthe same time.

Third. The fuel is more uniformly consumed, performing better duty, andresulting in a great saving in the quantity of charcoal consumed per tonof blooms.

Fourth. The entire lump being properly and uniformly refined, there isless falling away at the hammer, less waste, substantially none at all,resulting in a material economy or saving of metal.v

Fifth. A larger mass of metal can nipulated and be refined at a time, ifdesirable, than' is practicable with an ordinary fire, as heretoforeused with one or two blasts,which, always resultedina lump ofunequally-re fined iron.

Sixth. This improved construction of the bc ma- First. It reduces theprobabilities of raw or a IOO fire or'hearth works equally well with hotblastv or cold blast.

Myimprovement further consists in the con-- struction of the roof of thefurnace, which is formed of two arched metallicplates with an air spaceor chamber between them, or of two fiat or corrugated plates with aspace between. them, through which space or .chamber thc blast is madeto pass on its way to the tuyeres. The constant fiow of air underpressure be tween the plates protects them, which willmateriallyrprolong their existence,while in the passingof the air.through the space betweeny the plates the blast of air absorbs heat fromthe plates, and is by this means converted into a hot-air blast. Theheating ofthe airin this manner interferes less withthe freepassage of'vIiO the blast toward the tuyeres than when the air is heated in theusual siphon-pipes, 'as the passage is lcss tortuous and theconstruction over the plates or between them.

As ordinarily constructed, the roofs of re-` fining-i1es are made ofcast-iron 'plates or, sows, or of an arched or dat ire-brick vcovering,either of which methods are objectionable by notbeing durable, and hardto replace.

I have heard that an iron box had been used as a cover, the boX beingeither open at top or closed and a circulation of water maintainedvtherein to protect the cover from destruction. The objectionable"feature in this is that if a leak occurs in the boXthe Water will gointo the fire, and such an overhead quantity would result in a dangerousexplosion.

I am aware that blasts of air have been introduced from three or moredirections into blast-furnaces and cupolas for the purpose of promotingthe combustion of fuelin the smelting of ores and melting iron. I amalso aware that blasts of air from several different directions havebeen introduced into a mass of molten metal ina con verter forconverting the mass into steel.

I am further aware that air has been and is now introduced from twodirections only into a charcoal blomary furnace or forge-fire for thepurpose of eliminating the metalloids. The introduction of air in thisway from only two directions requires more skill and faithfulness of theworkman to secure the action of the blast on the molten drops of metal,and

' at best allows many of such molten drops to escape the contact andaction of the air, and always has and doesstill result in unreliable andunequal refining, in slow work, and eX- travagant cost.

I wish to confine my claim to the invention as it is applied to charcoalblomary furnaces or forge-fires, and in the construction of suchfurnaces .as will permit an increased numberv of air-blasts and fromdifferent directions into the hearth, thus insuring a blast of air incontact with all the molten drops of metal to be more surely, moreeasily, uniformly, quickly, and economically effected by the oxygen ofthe air, which deprives the metal of impurities and converts it intomalleable or wrought iron. It expedites the process of rening the metal.The consumption of fuel, waste, and labor are lessened, all beingaccomplished by my improved introduction of blasts of air into thehearth of a charcoal blomary furnace or forge-hre, and which has never,as I believe, been done before in such a furnace.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a charcoal blomary furnace or forgeiire, the combination of theplates C and C', forming an air-chamber, C, between them, the directair-supply pipe D, connected with the chamber C through plate C', theoutgoing air-pipes E E, terminating in tuyeres E and E, plates F F', andsingle working-front, all constructed substantially as described.

2. In a charcoal blomary furnace or forgefire, the combination of platesC and C', forming an air-chamber, C, between them, the direct air-supplypipe D, having turn-valve d therein, branch pipe D', having valve d andconnecting with air-chamber C", blast-pipesE E, terminating in tuyeres Eand E", plates F and F', and singleworking-front, constructedsubstantially as described.

3. In a charcoal blomary furnace or forgefire, the combination of thethree side walls provided with tuyere-openings, the arched plates C andC', forming an air-chamber, C, between them, with the inlet air-pipes Dand D and exit air-pipes E E and E E and their tuyeres E and E,substantially as described.

4. In a charcoal blomary furnace or forgefire, the combination of asingle workingfront, three side walls having tuyere-openings, asdescribed, with the air-pipes E E, tuyeres E E', air-pipes E E, andtuyeres E E, constructed and operating substantially as described.

5. In a charcoal blomary furnace or forgefire, the removable metalbrackets II, having dovetail edges h, in combination with the lugs I,that receive the dovetail edges on the brackets, and the steady-blocksI, all constructed to operate substantially as described.

6. In a charcoal blomary furnace or forgefire, the fore-plate or tableG, having notches g in its front edge, in combination with the removablebrackets H, having the upwardlyprojecting points ZL', in the mannersubstan tially as described.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE B. WIESTLING.

` Vitnesses:

NEWTON CRAWFORD, CHIS. E. Comun.

